Home Soil (episode)
A new microscopic lifeform threatens to kill the crew working to terraform its planet. Summary When a small group of scientists began to terraform the planet Velara III, lead by Kurt Mandl, they noticed that areas of the sand looked like "the light shining off newly fallen snow." These shining patterns soon became less random, however, and formed geometric shapes and moved. It was later realised that this was a form of communication; however, as the Federation had declared the planet lifeless, the terraformists weren't looking for life, and dismissed it. This changed in 2364, however, when Arthur Malencon was killed in what appears to be sabotage in a laser drill's programming. Upon investigation by an away team from the ''Enterprise''-D, Data discovered a single-celled compound with glowing properties. Despite being inorganic, it is defined as alive when it reproduces on the Enterprise. Further, it appears intelligent when it connects to the Enterprise's computer and attempts to communicate via the universal translator. The lifeform continued to reproduce and gain more control of the computer, securing environmental controls, the deflector shield, and directed transporter energy towards it. It is theorized by Data that the lifeform is akin to a computer, becoming more sophisticated as it reproduces further. It expends an enormous amount of energy during reproduction, with little sign of energy loss from the ship's systems, leading Data and Geordi La Forge to realise the lifeform must use light energy to keep itself alive. This is corroborated further when it is discovered that the lifeforms on the planet live in an area it refers to as 'wet sand' - a soil layer near the water table, but where light still shines through. The water contains a saline solution, and each lifeform is connected to every other through this, forming a sophisticated collective conscienceness which was threatened when the water table was being siphoned and cleansed, leading to them declaring 'war' on the 'bags of mostly water' – Humans. This war ended shortly afterwards when Captain Picard darkened the lights in the medical lab where the sample of the lifeform was being studied and had taken control of various systems. Picard convinced the microbrain that they were unaware of life on Velara III, and will leave the planet in peace if they call off the war. The microbrain agrees, believing Picard's sincerity yet deciding not to trust Humans for a period of three centuries, agreeing to see them again then. To that end, Picard orders a quarantine around the planet. Memorable Quotes "Ugly giant bags of mostly water" : - The crystal lifeform' describing Humans "...But is it alive?" "Probability: positive." "I wasn't asking you." : - Worf and the computer Background Information * The line "Bags of mostly water" is spoken in the song "My definition of a boombastic jazz style" by Dream Warriors (about 02:40 into the song) Links and References Guest Stars *Walter Gotell as Kurt Mandl *Elizabeth Lindsey as Louisa Kim *Gerard Prendergast as Bjorn Bensen Co-Stars *Mario Roccuzzo as Arthur Malencon *Carolyne Barry as Female Engineer References intelligence; life; microbrain; Pleiades Cluster; saline; sand; science laboratory; sulfur; terraforming; Velara III; Velara Base; water Category:TNG episodes de:Ein Planet wehrt sich es:Home Soil fr:Home Soil nl:Home Soil